Thus Spake Loki: Walking With An Old Friend (1)

My friend and I went for a walk one evening. It was the end of a beautiful day, and as the sun sank below the horizon, the rays lit up the sky.

“God’s Rays”, I said.

“Have you seen God?”, he asked with a smile. I looked at him quizzically, and said, “Maybe”.

“Think about it”, he went on, his pale, white face shining eerily in the sunset. I looked at his face, and into the dark sockets that were his eyes. He didn’t have too many friends. Most people I know did not like the look on his face, and did not like to look into his eyes. They found him eerie and discomfiting.

“Think about it”, my friend went on. “Look around at all the religions of the world. You have Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Rama, Christ, the Buddha, the old Gods of the Bon religion, Greek Gods, Roman Gods, Pagan Gods. They all profess to make images of God, and they all look different. Who is to say which of these is God? Who is to say that God is all of them, or an amalgamation of them? Some call themselves the true believers, and the eyes of these believers, the rest of the world is filled with pagans and infidels. They fight to defend this God, and to kill those who don’t convert to their faith. Why else, for instance, do you have the history of The Crusades to worry about, or modern versions around the world today?”

“So, the Gods have changed. Pan, they say, died. Why did Pan die? Despite the legends and the myths, did he die of a broken heart, realising the desecration of Nature that was to follow?” What would Tom Bombadil say of today’s world, a world in which we seem to have forgotten simple magic? What would he say of a world where the Daily Press gleefully trots out tales of death, corruption, greed, rape and war?”

“The Merchants of The Devil, they say, are winning the war. They would spread hate, build weapons and clap with glee when they are deployed. But, who has seen the Devil? Is he a distinct entity, or just another aspect of the God that you worship? Are good and evil inside you?”

We sat in silence, watching the day turn into night. The evening breeze cooled our faces, and my friend’s face gleamed white in the night.

“Death, Old Friend”, I said to him. “Perhaps, one day, when I enter your realm, I shall find the answers to your questions. Till then, I will live the life I lead. We shall see, we shall see.”